Safety lock for parachute harness



y 1948 BQJ. DROZINSK! SAFETY LOCK FOR PARACHUTE HARNESS Filed June 23, 1944 INVENTOR: BRomsLAw JDROZINSKI ATTORN YS.

Patented May 25, 1948 UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE 2,442,119 SAFETY LOCK FOR PARACHUTE-HARNESS Bronislaw J .Drozi'nski, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 23, 1944, Serial No. 541,701

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in a lock for parachute harness or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a positive and safe lock for the usual parachute harness and one which at the same time is easily opened when necessary.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lock which is opened by the mere turn of the locking member a few degrees about its pivot point.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a safetydevice for insuring that the lock remains in its holding position until a positive movement is made to release it. In'other words, it eannotbe accidentally released.

Still another object of the present invention isto provide several means acting in'combination' to positively hold the ends of parachute harness straps in their holding position together with the simultaneous release of all holding means when desired.

A'iurtherobject of the invention is to provide a locking device which is automatically thrown open as soon as the lock is released.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion' will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and specification, and the essential featuresthereof will'be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is aplan view of one form of my improved lock with all of the locking means in holding position;

Fig. .2 is a; sectional View through the sam taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the device of Fig. 1 with'the locking devices all in position to'release the parachute harness;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing my device modified to look a four-strap harness as compared with the three-strap harness of the first described modification; while Fig; 5 is a fragmentalsectional view taken along the line 5--5 at Fig. 4.

- gIn-the-device of Figs; 1 to 3, the locking-device consists of a base plate or member ID .on which are-mounted a plurality of positioning blocks ll equal-to'thenumber of harness straps to be attached. The device of Figs. 1 to 3 is adapted to aparachute harness including a strap 12 of webbing, leather, or the like adapted topass beneath the left armpit of the wearer, a strap 1-3 adapted to pass under the right armpit of the'jwea'r'er,-and a strap l4 adapted to pass through thec'rotch of the wearer. These straps customarily -end in a triangular shapeloop or buckle l5, and the 'positioning'blocks ll preferably but not necessarily conform generally to this triangular shape. While it is not essential to the working of-iny invention, I prefer tQpermanentIy fiXohe of the buckles 15 to the bas'e plate ill in the position shown in Figs. land 3. Hereinafter I 'have assumed that the buckle l5'- of-strap I2 is perman'ently fixedin position as by welding, brazing, or soldering. This insures that the locking device is "always available on the parachute harness in its proper position. The buckles l5 attached to straps I3 and M are'therefore' removably positioned on base plate In and around the positioning blocks II.

A cover plate I6 is arranged for positioning over the buckles 15 when the latter are in position to be locked. Preferably this cover plate is permanently'connected to the base plate In so that it will always be in its proper position. The securing means here shown is a hinge 11 which is at the upper side of thelocking device when it is in its normal positionbn the body of a wearer in erect position. The positioning blocks H are of approximately the same thickness as the buckles 15 so that whenthe buckles are'in position'to be locked the plate l6 may be folded down upon the buckles as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and, so long as the plate "I6 is held in this position, the buckles 15 are prevented from escaping from the blocks l l. Locking and positioning pins l8 are provided; one 'for'each positioning block ll. These pins extend from plate [6 towardthe base plate l0. In'e'ach positioning block'is arecess l9 adapted to receive itsv associated pin 18.

This is a further insurance "of the proper'positioning of" plate IS in locking .positionand'fur ther insurance against accidental escape of buckles I5v from positioning blocks ll. The peripheral edges of plate l6 are provided with recesses 20 (here substantially semi circular in form) to enable the cover plate IE to pass over the locking-lips 2| presently to be described.

Means is provided for positively securing the cover plate l6 in locking position. This "means comprises a locking plate 22 pivotally mounted on the outer face of cover plate l6 as by" means of the rivet '23 illustrated. This locking plate is provided with peripheral portions such as the four tongues 22a each adapted to pass beneath one of the lips"2l when the device is locked as shown in Figs. land 2. It will be noted that lips 2 l extend upwardly from the base plate "I ii to a level just above locking plate {22 inits locking position as shown in Fig. 2*so that when plate l6 is tight against the positioning blocks ill the tongues 22a have a snug fit under the lips 21.

It results from the above described construction that when the wearer has adjusted his parachute harness and has placed the buckles l over the positioning blocks H (with the cover plate 16 open as shown in Fig. 3) then the cover plate may be closed about the hinge I? to the position of Figs. 1 and 2 after which the locking plate 22 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by grasping the handle or extension 221) integral with plate 22. It will be noted that this locking movement of plate 22 requires an oscillation of only thirty or forty degrees about pivot 23. Thus four interengaging sets of parts 2|, 22a provide a-positive lock for holding the plate iii of Figs. 1 and 2.

Additional safety means may be provided .if desired to insure against accidental oscillation i e. P9511910;

the same holding function as in the first de-' scribed modification where the shoulder 24a entered the notch'zl. Referring to Fig. .5 itwlll be noted that the hinge H1 is so positioned relative to the adjacent lip 22! that the cover plate 6 is adapted to pass over the lip (by means of the recess 220) to a position tight against positioning bl0ck-3i after which the tongue 222a of locking plate 222 engages beneath the lip 22l to hold the buck1e'l5 in place. With these changes the device of Figs. 4 and 5 functions exactly the same as the device of Figs. 1 to 3. I Preferably, but not necessarily, the edges of the :positioningblocks ll nearest the apex of the associatedbuckle are slightly undercut as shown 7 at'lla- (Fig. 2)- so as to form a slight hook for retainingthe buckles of plate 22 out of its locking position. 7 To this enda safety catch 24 is pivotally mounted by means of pin25 in the outer end of handle 22b. This safety catch, in its locking positionshown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2, folds down into a'slot 26 in handle 22b. A shoulder24a of the catch passes through a notch 21 in the lip 2| at the bottom of the device '(the lip adjacent strap l4) In this position the plate 22 cannot be oscillated. A ring 28 or the like is provided at the free end of the safety catch so that it isreadily engaged even by the gloved hand of a'parachutist to move the safety catch from its locking position shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2 to its unlocking position shown in full lines there. Then when the safety catch is released the locking plate 22 may be oscillated .as previously described to remove the tongues 22a from position beneath the lips 2| so as topermit cover plate 16 to be raisedso as to release the buckles I5.

. Preferably, but not necessarily, means is provided to automatically throw open the cover plate iSwhen the locking plate 22 is turned to unlocking position. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, this comprises a, short, stilf, spiral spring 29 which is held betweenthe base plate l0 and the cover plate l6 when the device is locked, at which timethe spring 29 is compressed as shown in Fig. 2. Obviously upon release of the lock this spring will cause the cover plate Hi to be thrown open. Means may beprovided if desired'to hold the spring l6 1 against escape as by providing the projection 30 onthe base I!) tightly engaging the interior diameter'of the spring 29, but this is immaterial to I the functioning of my invention.

.A modification of the above device is shown in Figs.4 and 5so as to accommodate a four strap harness.

Here the device is like that previously described except that there are four positioning blocks. 3| to receive the four buckles l5 instead of the three blocks I I previously described.

In thisform of devicethe straps 32 and 33 pass around the left shoulder andthigh respectively of. the wearer while straps 34 and 35 pass around the right shoulder and thigh of the wearer. For

thisreason, the device will appear on the chest of a wearer substantially in the position shown in Fig; 4. All parts of the-device are like those previously described and perform similar functions. The base plate H0 is provided with four lips 22[ which overlie fourtongues 222a on the locking-plate 22.2. This in turn pivotally mounted at 223 on the cover plate H6. The

safety catch 224 has a shoulder 22411 which enters into a notch 32 in the base-plate Hll to perform It will thus be seen that I have provided a '7 look for a parachute harness which is positively] locked and simple to construct and yet it iseasily unlocked by one or two simple movements and insures almost instant release of the harness in an emergency. 1 V e 1 What I claim is:

1. A safety lock for multiple strap parachute 'harness comprising a base member, positioning blocks on said member, one for each strap and adapted to receive and hold the ends of said straps, a cover plate adapted to overlie said blocks and strap ends, said cover being mounted --for movement to ,uncoversaid blocks and strap ends.

interengaging means'on said base member and said cover plate adapted to lock said plate in said.

member oscillatably mounted on. said plate, and

peripheral portions. of said locking member adapted by oscillationthereof to engage beneath saidlips to lock said cover plate to said base member.

3. The combination of claim 2 including spring means held stressed by said cover plate when in looking position andv adapted'tothrow said cover plate out of locking position when'said looking. member is disengaged from said lips,

4. The combination of claim 2wherein said cover plate is hingedto said base member at one side thereof, there being recesses provided in the peripheral'edges of said cover plate permitting straps, a cover plate hingedly mounted on said base member and adapted to overlie said blocks and strap ends, lips on said base member positioned above the level of said plate, a locking member oscillatably mounted on said plate, peripheral portions of said locking member adapted by oscillation thereof to engage beneath said lips to lock said cover plate ,tosaid'base member,and means preventing accidental oscillation of said locking memben, 1 r j 6. A safety lock for multiple-strap-parachute harness comprising a base member, positioning blocks on said member, one for each strap and adapted to receive and Hold the ends of said straps, a cover plate hingedly mounted on said base member and adapted to overlie said blocks and strap ends, lips on said base member positioned above the level of said plate, a locking member oscillatably mounted on said plate, peripheral portions of said locking member adapted by oscillation thereof to engage beneath said lips to lock said cover plate to said base member, and a safety lock pivotally mounted on said locking member and adapted to interengage said base member in the locked position only of said locking member.

'7. A safety lock for multiple-strap parachute harness comprising a base member, positioning blocks on said member, one for each strap and adapted to receive and hold the ends of said straps, a cover plate hinged to said base member and adapted to overlie said blocks and strap ends,

said blocks having recesses coacting pins on said plate and interengaging with said recesses when said plate is in said overlying position, and releasable means for holding said cover plate closed in said overlying position.

8. A safety lock for holding the straps of a parachute harness in place on the body of a wearer wherein the ends of said straps are provided with loop-type buckles, comprising a base member, positioning blocks on said member, one for each strap, each block having a contour adapted to fit with the loop of a buckle, lips on said base member, one over each block, a

cover plate hinged to said base member, said cover plate being adapted when closed to hold said buckles on said blocks, a locking member oscillatably mounted on said cover plate, and peripheral portions of said locking member being adapted by oscillation thereof, when said cover plate is closed, to engage beneath said lips to lock said cover plate to said base member.

9. The combination of claim 8 including a safety lock adapted to interlock said locking member and said base member only when said locking member is in lookin position.

10. The combination of claim 8 includingspring means for moving said cover plate out of closed position when said locking member is moved to unlock said cover plate.

11. The combination of claim 8 including pins on said cover plate and coacting recesses in said blocks to receive said pins when said plate is closed.

12. The combination of claim 8 wherein said blocks are undercut where engaged by said buckles, whereby said buckles are more firmly held.

BRONISLAW J. DROZINSKI.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lethern et a1 Sept. 9, 1941 Number 

